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The WNBA hasn’t experienced an expansion draft in 16 years.
In 2008, the Dream became the 14th team in the league. By 2009, the WNBA was back to 13 teams after the Comets folded. The following year, the league dropped to 12 teams, where it remained until now, after the Monarchs dissolved.
Friday marks the beginning of the WNBA’s time of growth, with the Valkyries starting the first of three expansion drafts over two years. General manager Ohemaa Nyanin is leading the team’s first roster creation.
‘‘The goal is throughout the journey of expansion—free agency, college [draft], and midseason trades, all of those things—to by the end of the season get very close to defining what Valkyries basketball looks like,’’ Nyanin said.
In 2026, Toronto and Portland will bring the league closer to commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s target of having 16 teams by 2028. The potential revival of a former franchise may further balance things. Cleveland is looking to bring a team back after the Rockers, one of the original WNBA franchises, folded in 2003.
Aside from the addition of two new teams in 2026, the WNBA will undergo a significant overhaul, with the collective bargaining agreement set to expire at the end of the 2025 season. With almost every player becoming a free agent in 2026, Nyanin has no simple opportunity to experiment during the Valkyries’ debut season. The focus for Nyanin, coach Natalie Nakase, and their team in Year 1 will be on establishing a strong foundation and team identity.
‘‘The different iterations of who is going to be protected have influenced me to be super-open,’’ Nyanin said.
All 12 existing WNBA teams submitted their list of six protected players on Monday. Nyanin will have the opportunity to select up to one player from each team’s unprotected list during the expansion draft, airing at 5:30 p.m. Friday on ESPN.
The Sky have four clear protections: Angel Reese, Kamilla Cardoso, Elizabeth Williams, and Michaela Onyenwere. The other two protected players are less certain.
The WNBA did not disclose the protected lists, giving teams an advantage in future negotiations.
It is unlikely that Nyanin will make 12 selections in the expansion draft, as she will also be looking to add players in free agency and the 2025 draft.
Most teams have reached their salary cap limit, making it challenging to execute trades at this time.
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